• SRAX Inc.’s BIGtoken platform provides big data insights, analytics derived from its over 16.7 million users
• Big data is increasingly being used by companies, advertisers to adjust their business models, products to cater to customers’ rapidly changing wants and needs
• SRAX has carried out targeted marketing campaigns for variety of large clients which have resulted in positive return on advertising spend
• Recent study by MarketsandMarkets has estimated that Big Data industry will rise to $229.4 billion by 2025, implying growth of 65% over next 5 years

SRAX (NASDAQ: SRAX), a digital marketing pioneer focused on providing consumer data management services, has long been focused on helping consumers gain control over and monetize their digital data footprints. Through its revolutionary BIGtoken platform, which boasted 16.7 million users as of the end of the first quarter of 2020, SRAX enables its members to provide their advertisers with access to verified consumer data which can in turn help companies better reach and serve their audiences. Now, with a recently released study showing that the ‘Big Data’ market is set to grow from $138.9 billion in 2020 to $229.4 billion in 2025, implying a compounded annualized growth rate of 10.6% (http://ibn.fm/ZrNlF), SRAX’s commercial prospects look more promising than ever before.

Big data and its ability to depict online consumer behavior have long been used by companies seeking deeper insights into their customers. Netflix, the world’s largest video-on-demand streaming platform has been one of the early and most avid users of big data analytics. As early as 2009, Netflix famously launched a contest offering a prize of $1 million to the group which could come up with the best algorithm for predicting how customers would like a movie based on previous ratings. Today, the company’s film and TV show recommendation system is said to influence about 80% of the content which is streamed on the company’s platform (http://ibn.fm/wLziA). In this scenario, the use of big data analytics and the insights derived from Netflix’s hundreds of millions of users has allowed the company to tailor their content to match customer expectations, license or produce new movies and TV shows based on the expected customer response, and ensure that their marketing campaigns are resulting in an adequate return on advertising spend (“ROAS”).

SRAX’s BIGtoken platform has sought to capitalize on the growing demand for big data analytics through its broad user base as well as its extensive range of functionalities. Towards the end of 2019, the platform introduced the BIGtoken Lightning Insights functionality – a revolutionary tool which allows SRAX’s customers to instantly activate research and surveys about virtually any topic and pose it to BIGtoken’s extensive user base. Companies can choose to address their queries to BIGtoken’s extremely wide and diverse user base or opt to target extremely niche demographic and socio-economic sectors through the product’s over 25,000 points of segmentation and receive actionable audience insights within a matter of mere hours (http://ibn.fm/cDZYN).

The platform’s unique capabilities were recently highlighted during a campaign which the Company carried out for the Kraft Heinz Co. Through the use of SRAX’s BIGtoken tool, Kraft was able to launch a targeted marketing campaign which resulted in a 6.6% return on ad spend (http://ibn.fm/uIyNg). SRAX’s management highlighted the potential of their proprietary marketing solution by contrasting the Kraft campaign to those recently carried out by Walmart and Evite, which delivered flat and negative returns, respectively. Moreover, the company also revealed that the positive returns from the marketing campaign had prompted the client to subsequently follow through with a “really big purchase”.

With the use of big data increasingly becoming a priority for any advertiser, SRAX’s BIGtoken platform has devised a method by which it can provide its customers with near instantaneous and actionable intel on-demand, thereby allowing companies to forgo the oftentimes significant investment needed to create an in-house analytics team and rather focus their attention solely on transforming the data gleaned through BIGtoken into productive marketing campaigns.  With the big data industry set to nearly double in size over the next 5 years, SRAX and its proprietary platform seem well-positioned to benefit from the swelling tide of growth.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SRAX.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SRAX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/SRAX

• InsurTechs Are Transforming the Insurance Industry with Digital Technologies
• Just 3% of Insurtechs are Insurance Carriers
• InsuraGuest Offers Digitized Insurance Policies for Hospitality & Business Risks
• Business Owner Policy (“BOP”) Covers Risks for 130+ Class Codes, including Retail, Wholesale, Mercantile, Office and Business Services
• Small business owners make up 99% of U.S. Businesses

The U.S. insurance industry isn’t much different now than when Benjamin Franklin’s Philadelphia Contributionship first opened its doors to the public in 1752. But that is changing as a new breed of insurers arises. Insurtechs are claiming bits of the life and health insurance terrain – and much more – according to Bain & Company, a development the private equity firm has described as “Insurtechs on the Rise.” One such is InsuraGuest Technologies (TSX.V: ISGI), which is offering coverage for hospitality and business risks. The company plans to expand its product line as demand for Insurtech policies increases. Its unique capabilities as a master general agent (“MGU”) put it at a decided advantage in the brave new world of digitized insurance now emerging.

The application of new technologies to the old business of insurance has thrown up a wealth of opportunity. It’s possible now to be in the insurance business without being an insurer. The global survey of 655 companies undertaken by Bain, which excluded China where digitized insurance is far more advanced than in the West, discovered that just 3 percent of Insurtechs were actually in the underwriting business (http://ibn.fm/MbVJX). Most Insurtechs (59 percent of the survey sample) are simply providers of hardware, software and analytics to the insurance industry. Another 38 percent is made up of distributors, including web-based comparison sites or marketplaces. But InsuraGuest is more than just a provider of digital technology to the insurance industry or an intermediary between the insurer and insured. The coverages its policies provide are administered by its own InsuraGuest Insurance Agency, which is licensed to sell all lines of insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

InsuraGuest launched its foray into insurance with the Hospitality Liability Policy, a supplemental insurance product for hotels, vacation rental operators, and similar establishments (http://ibn.fm/ucZfM). The policy is meant to cover the gap left by General Liability policies by addressing guests’ claims on a primary basis. For example, it is commonly assumed that accidents occurring on a property are automatically covered by the hotel or property owner’s insurance, but that’s not always true. Unless an accident is clearly the fault of the hotel, General Liability insurance may not cover a guest’s accident or theft, or if the claim is under the property’s deductible amount, the hotel or property owners may not want to file a claim.  Thus, InsuraGuest’s Hospitality Liability coverages address claims made by the guest on a primary basis.

With InsuraGuest’s Hospitality Liability coverages, property owners provide their registered guests with more comprehensive protection against the myriad of risks that may arise during their stay. The policy’s cost is automatically placed on the guest folio as a mandatory charge to protect the property from claims made by guests and their occupants if covered accidents or theft occur. The Hospitality Liability policy provides coverage for theft of personal property while in the hotel, as well as accidental medical expenses and accidental death and dismemberment, up to policy limits (http://ibn.fm/4G6nM).

Despite the enthusiastic response the Hospitality Liability coverages have received, InsuraGuest is not resting on its laurels. The company is now developing a new Business Owner Policy (“BOP”), which it expects to take to market by the Third Quarter of 2020. The BOP is being created with the needs of small business owners in mind and will serve over 130 class codes, including retail, wholesale, mercantile, office and business service classes. General liability class codes are assigned by underwriters as a way of classifying and grouping businesses by risk. Small businesses will be able to purchase the BOP online through a dedicated portal, www.InsureThePeople.com (“ITP”), now under development.

To start, the BOP will offer coverage for (i) building and business property, business income and extra expenses; (ii) breakdowns of equipment, including micro-circuitry; (iii) employment practices liability; and (iv) general liability protection, with occurrence limits that range from $300,000 USD to $2 million USD. Coverage for many other types of risks, including cyber risk, employee benefits liability, workers’ comp and others, will be added over time.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.InsuraGuest.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ISGI are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/ISGI

• SGMD’s BudCars sales topped more than $500,000; company grew for third consecutive month
• ‘We did more business with more people and booked a significant jump in gross profits while holding our 47% gross margin level as volume increased,’ CEO reports
• Company expects to close out first half of 2020 with a linear pace already at $6 million

Sugarmade (OTCQB: SGMD), a product and branding marketing company investing in operations and technologies with disruptive potential, released June numbers for its burgeoning BudCars Cannabis Delivery Service. Of note in the report were sales that topped more than $500,000 and impressive growth for the third consecutive month.

“June was another breakout month for BudCars growth across basically every single metric important to gauging our progress,” said Sugarmade CEO Jimmy Chan. “Our pricing improved. Our average order improved. We did more business with more people and booked a significant jump in gross profits while holding our 47% gross margin level as volume increased. We look forward to continued breakout growth in July.”

The shareholder report included the following key items:

• Total June BudCars sales totaled $502,903, a 36% increase in month-over-month sales growth, compared to May 2020 sales of $367,000
• Total June BudCars gross profits of $228,000, representing 31% month-over-month growth, compared to May 2020 gross profits of $174,000
• Average daily sales increased 41% month over month, reaching $16,763
• Total customer tickets increased to 4,207, a 34% month over month increase over a 29% growth in May
• Average customer order was $119.54, an increase of 2%.

The report noted that based on the company’s rapid BudCars expansion plans, it expects to close out the first half of 2020 with a linear pace already at $6 million in annualized run-rate for sales, with a second-derivative path pointing to an annualized revenue path above $21 million by year end. And these data-driven projections are for SGMD’s Sacramento hub only. “The company continues to believe this data provides meaningful insights for projecting performance at its Los Angeles hub following launch, which should contribute to significant further upside in second half 2020 financial performance projections,” the report stated.

In addition, SGMD is looking to grow BudCars through verticalization. Pending approval from the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, the expansion into cultivation would connect the dots and form a solid product and supply line from farm to delivery that would further cut costs and increase the profit margins (http://ibn.fm/T7F6r).

BudCars is a top-shelf cannabis retail business that offers same-day delivery of top-quality product. Customers can choose from edibles, flower, pre-rolls, vapes, tinctures and concentrate from dozens of premium brands. Once the selection is made and the purchase completed online, BudCars delivers to a customer’s front door on the same day.

Sugarmade Inc. is a product and branding marketing company investing in operations and technologies with disruptive potential. SGMD’s brand portfolio includes CarryOutsupplies.com, SugarRush(TM) and Budcars.com.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Sugarmade.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGMD are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/SUGAR

• Online automotive marketplace for buying, selling, financing, insuring new and used vehicles
• 87% of Americans would rather avoid going to car dealer
• 61% feel they are taken advantage of by dealers
• PowerBand Auto Platform offers access to 18,000 Dealers, 1,500 finance sources
• Sitting in comfort at home with no hard-sell sales rep provides satisfying platform experience

Now that PowerBand Solutions (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (FRA: 1ZVA) has launched its online vehicle marketplace, buying a vehicle has become a whole lot easier. Instead of a visit, filled with trepidation, to the local dealer, consumers can stay safely and comfortably at home and, in only a few moments, have the model they want. PowerBand’s marketplace is a digital, one-stop-shop that takes the hassle out of buying, selling, leasing and trading-in — and that’s not all.

The insurance and financing solutions available on the platform mean transactions take less time than with a brick-and-mortar dealer. The virtual marketplace also gives consumers easier access to inventory. And dealers benefit too; the platform provides a fast, cost-effective way to move product. The PowerBand Auto Platform is a comprehensive solution for manufacturers, dealers, lenders and consumers alike to engage in automotive transactions online. PowerBand is another instance of how digital technologies are disrupting established business models across the board.

Buying a vehicle the customary way is often fraught with peril. Sometimes the obstacle to getting a good deal are the buyers themselves, who may, for example, be focused on a single model. But oftentimes, the pitfalls occur in the dealership experience. Auto merchants are notorious for coming up with “deals” that lump together vehicle price, trade-in value, financing terms, etc., making it difficult to ascertain the real costs of a transaction. The result? Consumers end up buying a deal when all they wanted was to buy a car.

No wonder then that shopping for a vehicle is not a pleasant experience. An estimated 87% of Americans dislike the car dealership experience, with around 52% being anxious or uncomfortable while visiting a dealer. Moreover, some 61% believe a dealership will take advantage of them, and almost half, 49%, think they will be tricked into purchasing unnecessary add-ons.

In the automotive market, information asymmetry, where the dealer knows a lot more than the consumer, is the order of the day. Indeed, insights into how asymmetric information distorts markets of all kinds began in 1970 with a study of the automotive market, when Nobel Laureate George Akerlof published his seminal paper, “The Market for Lemons.”

The PowerBand Auto Platform takes a different approach, offering access to information, thus providing transparency as well as ease of use. And PowerBand is gearing up to do even more. In August 2018, PowerBand began integrating its online auction and used-vehicle marketplace with the technical services offered by TÜV NORD Mobility (http://ibn.fm/vsYYT). TÜV NORD is a German company whose main activities include independent vehicle inspections for private consumers, dealerships and OEMs. Almost year later, in July 2019, PowerBand acquired a 60% stake in MUSA Holdings, a fintech auto leasing company that is a Tesla Motors leasing partner (http://ibn.fm/e3gGe). The deal will expand PowerBand’s capabilities in vehicle acquisition, leasing, lending and auction services.

And in February 2020, PowerBand announced an agreement with RouteOne (http://ibn.fm/GyKDO). RouteOne is a joint venture between Ally Financial, Ford Motor Credit Company, TD Auto Finance and Toyota Financial Services, which specializes in providing financing and insurance solutions for automobile dealers and their customers. The alliance with RouteOne will give PowerBand users access to more than 18,000 automotive dealers and 1,500 finance sources. Now PowerBand users will have even a better chance of finding the right car at the right price.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PowerBandSolutions.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to PWWBF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/PWWBF

• House Select Committee unveils climate plan involving nuclear energy as essential in clean electric-energy production
• Global uranium prices have risen 34% since March 1 amid significant production cuts
• Energy Fuels uniquely positioned as leading U.S. uranium producer and recycler, set to capitalize on growing nuclear energy role

As the largest uranium miner in the United States, Energy Fuels (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) is poised to capitalize on the government’s recent push for nuclear energy. On June 30, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released an action plan titled “Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America” that calls for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and net-negative emissions after that (http://ibn.fm/TcRfx). In addition, the committee’s detailed plan notes that Congress should establish a national clean-energy standard that encourages zero-emission carbon technologies — such as nuclear — to achieve net-zero emissions in the electricity sector by 2040 Recognizing that a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of the electrical energy sector is needed to minimize the effects of climate change, the report highlights nuclear power as the largest source of carbon-free energy in the country. As such, nuclear energy has an essential role in confronting the global climate challenge. Nuclear facilities are not only emissions free, but they are also the most reliable assets in the power generation mix, operating under circumstances often requiring fossil fuel and renewable energy plants to cease or curtail their operations, such as extreme weather conditions. As the country’s leading uranium and vanadium producer, Energy Fuels is well positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for clean energy. Energy Fuels has also recycled over 6 million pounds of uranium from its alternate feed recycling program. The carbon-free electricity produced from this recycled uranium would be the equivalent of a train full of coal that stretched from Los Angeles to New York — and back again — thereby avoiding 85 million tons of CO2 emissions.  Among clean-energy options, nuclear is recognized as one of the most reliable, affordable and stable, contributing to 55% of all clean-energy production throughout the country in 2019 (http://ibn.fm/JUuM2). In terms of carbon emissions and air pollution reduction, Energy Fuels is one of the greenest companies operating in the U.S. As the push for clean energy gains momentum, the global market shows signs of imbalance with global demand for uranium ore concentrate estimated to exceed production by 1 billion pounds over 2019–2040. Reflecting an international surge in nuclear power activity, global uranium prices have been improving globally with a 34% increase since March 2020 amid significant production cuts due to COVID-19 (http://ibn.fm/vQGGm). The global boost for nuclear energy, combined with the declared U.S. national policy to revitalize the nuclear sector and preserve domestic infrastructure to regain U.S. global nuclear leadership, distinguishes Energy Fuels, the country’s top producer of uranium, as a clear leader in the space. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EnergyFuels.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to UUUU are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/UUUU

• With CO2 extraction, consumers benefit from premium-quality, full-spectrum oil (“FSO”) with no toxic byproducts
• Pure Extract is also focusing on mushrooms because of the myriad of health benefits consumers are experiencing

Pure Extract, a private, plant-based extraction company with a new vertical in functional mushrooms, is committed to providing the highest-quality products possible. With that in mind, the company relies on CO2 extraction, a process based on pressurized carbon dioxide that provides some of the cleanest, healthiest products available on the market today.

Methods of mushroom extraction, or the process of releasing and concentrating compounds for medicinal dosages, vary. With that in mind, one of the primary benefits of using an extract from CO2 extraction is its status as a “green solvent” (http://ibn.fm/TGlE3).

CO2 extraction “provides a cleaner and healthier product,” reports an article titled “Your Concise Guide to CO2 Extraction: What It Is and Why You Need It,” published by Premium Jane. “We produce CO2 naturally as part of the breathing process when we exhale. Unlike solvents such as butane, CO2 extraction contains no nasty chemical residues. It is also recyclable and cost-effective,” the article states.

The article goes on to explain that CO2 extraction uses pressurized carbon dioxide to take as many desirable components from the plant — or mushroom — as possible. “Manufacturers use carbon dioxide because it is a versatile, ‘tunable’ solvent. It acts as a solvent at a specific temperature and pressure range. However, it doesn’t have the dangers associated with solvents. As a result, consumers benefit from a premium-quality, clean oil with no toxic by-products,” the article notes.

Pure Extract is committed to becoming one of the dominant extraction companies in the industry and a leader in the rapid development and commercialization of functional mushroom products. The company is currently focused on mushrooms because, as one report noted, “the prospects of antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer properties are too powerful to cast aside. And as clinical research evaluates medicinal and psychedelic mushrooms, the importance of active product ingredient extracts amplifies, given the need to sort out what each molecule can do” (http://ibn.fm/EeHog).

Pure Extract’s Vitalis C02 extraction technology allows for full-spectrum oil extraction, which results in the purest, highest-quality oil. In addition, the company, which notes that “extraction is our business,” will soon have the  capacity for more than 100,000 kg of biomass per year with a technique that has been tried and tested through its teams’ industry experience (http://ibn.fm/ohQl6).

The functional mushroom industry is among the fastest growing in North America, with forecasts predicting the global medicinal mushroom market will grow annually by $13.88 billion (http://ibn.fm/npEn8). As the industry transitions from dry biomass to extracts, many companies are unprepared for this new opportunity.

Pure Extract, on the other hand, is ideally positioned to enter the space as an experienced producer. With a team of qualified experts and cutting-edge extraction technology, the company is set up for long-term strategic distribution and product innovation. Located near Whistler, British Columbia, the company’s facility is built for EU-GMP certification, which allows for international sales and ensures the production of high-quality, high-purity formulations on a commercial scale.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PureExtractsCorp.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Pure Extracts are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/Pure

• The company was named to the list of BioSpace Movers and Shakers in July 2020 after veteran health plan executive Dennis A. Matheis joined its Board of Directors
• Global digital diabetes management market is projected to register CAGR of 17.8% by 2026
• DarioHealth’s platform lauded for centering on continual maximization of patient engagement

DarioHealth (NASDAQ: DRIO), a global digital therapeutics company serving its users with dynamic mobile health solutions, is in the spotlight as a major global player in the digital diabetes management market.

A recent report published by Data Bridge Market Research featured DarioHealth and its advancements in digital diabetes management – a growing global market expected to become the “next best thing” in the wake of the current coronavirus pandemic that has made it more difficult for diabetes patients to receive treatment. The market is projected to register a CAGR of 17.8 percent by 2026.

Digital diabetes management devices are used to self-monitor blood glucose levels. The technology combines diabetes monitoring hardware and mobile software with cloud computing infrastructure. Smart glucose monitors are wireless monitors that provide information about blood glucose data directly to your mobile device.

With 4.9 stars on the Apple App Store and 11,000 reviews, Dario is one of the highest-rated diabetes solutions in the market, and its user-centric MyDario(TM) mobile app is a popular product with over 50,000  consumers around the globe. With a powerful commitment and contribution to chronic condition management through innovative digital therapeutic solutions, including a novel method for chronic disease data management, the company is rapidly moving toward addressing new chronic conditions and into new geographic markets.

The company was also named to the list of BioSpace Movers and Shakers in July 2020 after veteran health plan executive Dennis A. Matheis joined its Board of Directors on July 2, 2020 (http://ibn.fm/1BNMs).

Matheis brings to the DarioHealth Board nearly 30 years of experience leading regional and national health care plans and related organizations (http://ibn.fm/TIAVk). He currently serves as President of Optima Health, a division of Sentara Healthcare which has more than 850,000 members and a network of over 26,000 providers.

“Over the course of my health care career, I have seen first-hand how even modest behavior changes can positively impact the long-term health of people suffering from costly and in some cases debilitating chronic medical conditions,” stated Matheis. “I have been aware of Dario for some time now, and I believe the company’s highly engaging user platform sets the company apart and provides tangible results for patients and demonstrated savings for payers.”

According to CEO Erez Raphael, Matheis will leverage his experience to aid DarioHealth in its transition to a business-to-business-to-consumer model, serving people suffering from chronic diseases via direct relationships with health plans, large employers, and benefits administrators.

The company was also cited in a recent article about patient engagement that emphasizes Dario platform’s continual maximization of patient engagement through personalization, including “nudges” and live, AI-generated responses to health measures provided by Dario’s smartphone-connected medical devices (http://ibn.fm/Bdh0s).

The report further underlines that health plans can leverage DarioHealth’s solutions to improve patient outcomes and lower costs that encourage patients to be more involved in managing their conditions, and proactively take preventative measures that reduce risk, emergency room visits, and preventable hospitalization.

With personalized, mobile health solutions, DarioHealth provides more control and greater independence for people with chronic conditions as they work to manage their daily challenges, empowering individuals to make healthy adjustments to their lifestyle choices and improve their overall health.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.DarioHealth.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to DRIO are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/DRIO

• Today’s consumers are increasingly moving towards online automotive transactions for increased efficiency and safety
• PowerBand Solutions continues to deploy its comprehensive virtual platform for buying and leasing automobiles online via home computers or handheld smart devices
• The company’s platform enables seamless sales transactions by including responsiveness to financing, inventory and inspections

The world is becoming more connected every day. Devices have the ability to collect and exchange data points in an ecosystem of smart devices without human involvement. Between 2015 and 2025, those data points are expected to experience a five-fold increase (http://ibn.fm/7XZOO).

This is great news for the automotive industry, and PowerBand Solutions (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (FRA: 1ZVA), which is emerging as the leader in online vehicle transactions using smart phones.  With more touch points, companies can better understand consumers, their needs and their buying habits. From there, messaging and processes can be increasingly customized and effective in engaging consumers. For progressive automotive companies, this improved access will create more opportunities to collect information about consumers, provide them with a more convenient purchasing experience, and drive engagement accordingly.

Disruptive fintech innovator PowerBand is leveraging the advancements in technology to drive its smart-tech-accessible platform to obtain household name status as a preferred means of buying and leasing automobiles. The platform offers a personalized online purchase journey capable of addressing any concerns that may arise between listing and sale with success rates not possible with other online services.

The automotive industry has been in a state of flux, with every aspect experiencing disruption from driverless vehicles to artificial intelligence. Customer expectations continue to become increasingly sophisticated as technological innovations progress. As more customers begin to expect the seamless digital service they receive in other retail markets, the automotive industry must adapt to remain competitive and protect profits as well as finance and insurance margins. To do so, retailers must find opportunities to leverage the digital-oriented nature of buyers and their desire for advanced technology. The automotive industry and consumers are both responding quickly to take advantage of the added convenience.

With the coronavirus continuing to surge in many areas throughout the United States, consumers are seeking online transactions in every market in order to limit face-to-face interaction. Buying a car sight-unseen sounds daunting, but today’s consumers seem to have absolutely no problem doing so. According to the ‘Digital Commerce 360 Online Vehicle Shopper 2019’ survey, conducted among 1,089 buyers, 49% are willing to purchase a new vehicle entirely online (http://ibn.fm/2Rt8i). According to Frost & Sullivan, consumers may purchase as many as 1.3 million vehicles annually online as soon as 2035 (http://ibn.fm/q3Nmq).

Even more traditional legacy manufacturers like Honda are getting on board. The auto giant recently decided to pre-sell its Limited-Edition Civic Type R “hot hatch” entirely online. The virtual order books opened up 1 p.m. and by 1:04 p.m., all 100 build slots were taken. Each reservation required a $1,000 deposit. And Honda has yet to announce the final price for the car (http://ibn.fm/wVmZ7).

PowerBand Solutions is uniquely positioned to experience this silver lining of the crisis. The company’s innovation in providing a highly effective online trading alternative attracted Texas-based D&P Holdings, Inc., one of the largest administrators of automotive warranty and insurance products in the United States. D&P made a $6 million direct investment in the company and has stated it intends to invest $10 million eventually.

“While COVID-19 has caused unexpected business delays for many of us, this crisis has reinforced our belief that PowerBand will revolutionize how consumers and dealers interact when they buy, sell, lease and trade cars and trucks,” D&P CEO John Armstrong stated in April (http://ibn.fm/FqfE3).

PowerBand’s platform digitizes not only the transfer of money, but also the financing and inventory paperwork, vehicle inspections, and auction negotiations. The streamlined platform provides a speed, ease, and cost-efficiency in automotive sales that is expected to dramatically impact the industry.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PowerBandSolutions.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to PWWBF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/PWWBF

• Sleep apnea devices market growth also driven by the current pandemic which has made it exponentially more difficult for patients to seek treatment for their condition
• Registered with the FDA as a Specification Developer, Vivos develops and markets the first non-surgical, non-invasive and cost-effective solution for the estimated billion of people globally who suffer from OSA
• Vivos believes its proprietary system is poised to provide the most significant breakthrough in OSA treatment since CPAP

The global sleep apnea market is expanding rapidly, being expected to reach $13.24 billion by 2027, from $7.81 billion in 2019, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.8 percent. In a report titled “Sleep Apnea Devices Market Size . . .”, Fortune Business Insights notes that the rising cases of cardiovascular disorders and diabetes among the geriatric population are some of the primary causes of the surge in sleep apnea (http://ibn.fm/wlVz2). Additionally, a reduction in polysomnography, laboratory-based CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and bi-level therapy can cause a decline in diagnosis of new sleep apnea cases as well as exert a negative impact on the growth of the market. Moreover, the report cites NCBI data indicating a 50 percent decline in compliance rates for CPAP devices. This has created the need for alternative oral appliances to provide comfort to sleep apnea patients.

An emerging global leader in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (“OSA”), Vivos Therapeutics, Inc. is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this growing market and the increased demand for sleep apnea alternative solutions. The company’s proprietary Vivos System(R) is the first treatment modality for mild to moderate OSA in adults that does away with the need for lifelong interventions. The system’s treatment time is a fraction of that of its alternatives, potentially offering patients lasting relief in a matter of months, eliminating the need for surgery (http://ibn.fm/xdHWd).

The leading cause of OSA is a deficiency in the development of craniofacial anatomy. Pneumopedics  is the natural process introduced by Vivos biomimetic technology where the airway tissues are remodeled resulting in enhanced capacity over the course of treatment, which typically ranges from 18 to 24 months. Unlike many other approaches, it aims for a lasting resolution by targeting the root cause of sleep apnea.

Registered with the FDA as a Specification Developer, Vivos develops and markets a number of oral appliances. Its technology represents the first non-surgical, non-invasive and cost-effective solution for the estimated one billion people worldwide who suffer from OSA. Vivos Therapeutics believes its technology represents the most important breakthrough in OSA treatment since CPAP, which involves the use of special face or nasal masks.

The company’s oral appliances have proven to be effective in more than 15,000 patients successfully treated worldwide by approximately 1,350 trained dentists. Vivos’ vision is to provide clinicians with the tools to provide the best alternative solution to treat OSA.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.VivosLife.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Vivos Therapeutics are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/VVOS

• The need for efficient drug procurement and delivery has never been more in demand
• Trxade Group’s unmatched supply chain trading platform represents a unique portal to speeding up drug distribution
• Such efficiencies are key to improving margins and keeping America’s independent pharmacies alive

Not in recent memory have medical services and associated support personnel been viewed as more vital to the nation. Just as indispensable, but not as visible, are the supply chain channels through which medical supplies flow, for doctors without medicines may be so handicapped as to be useless. So too would be pharmacies where the bulk of medicines are dispensed. As a result, it is crucial that these supply chain channels operate efficiently.

One company has been working specifically toward that end. Trxade Group (NASDAQ: MEDS) has developed an integrated drug procurement and delivery platform that is improving supply chain and market efficiency, speeding up distribution of drugs while also ensuring critical transparency on prices. This is good news for independent pharmacies; direct dealing on the platform will lead to improved margins. And consumers will undoubtedly welcome the platform’s price discovery capabilities. The Trxade digital pharmaceutical exchange is set to shakeup the staid drug distribution business.

Trxade’s web-based platform has something for everyone. Patients will benefit from the lower prices its algorithms identify, while pharmacies are now more likely to avoid negative reimbursement costs, which flatten profit margins. Close to half the number of independent pharmacies operating across the nation are registered users on the Trxade platform. The company expects 2019’s signup rate—8 or 9 new pharmacies every day—to continue throughout 2020. There is good reason for those expectations. For a long time, America’s independent pharmacies haven’t been getting a good deal.

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry is a sprawling system made up of around 65,000 pharmacies. Most are branches of the large chains. A recent report provides a snapshot of the landscape (http://ibn.fm/cfPqA). CVS Pharmacy, the largest, employs 18,631 pharmacists in close to 9,105 stores. Walgreens has 17,437 pharmacists working in its 7,713 or so stores, while Rite Aid with its 4,515 stores employs 9,194 pharmacists. Walmart has less stores (4,403) than Rite Aid but employs more pharmacists (10,458). This colossal operation moves around $330 billion worth of pharmaceuticals per annum. But most of the business goes to the giant chains with their thousands of retail outlets and their ability to capture significant excess margin at the cost of the consumer, employers and government.

This leaves about one-third of the nation’s pharmacies that are run independently, that do not belong to a large corporate chain. These smaller independent pharmacies tend, on average, to be $3.5 million-per-annum enterprises owned and managed, typically, owner operated vocational pharmacists. Predictably, they struggle to stay afloat, surviving on thin margins that continuously pose an existential threat.

The presence of pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) hasn’t really helped. These third party administrators of prescription drug programs were expected to reduce the purchase costs of drugs across the board and they have but the benefits have accrued to a select few. The three largest PBMs— Caremark (CVS Health) / Aetna, Express Scripts, OptumRx (UnitedHealth)—now control 76 percent of the market. And, as the Brookings Institution has pointed out in testimony to Congress, “health care markets are becoming more consolidated, causing price increases for purchasers of health services…” (http://ibn.fm/LeLbP).

However, Trxade’s pharmaceutical platform gives independent pharmacies a real shot at reducing their purchasing costs, and much more. The integrated pharmaceutical services company offers not just a web-based purchasing platform for transactions between independent pharmacists and drug distributors (“B2B”), but a network of associated pharmacies with its E-Hub software, and a mail order pharmacy, as well as warehouse and drug delivery services.

Called the Trxade Exchange, the platform gives small pharmacies access to the wider pharmaceutical distribution network, allowing them to search for and view products from manufacturers, buying groups, and wholesalers on a real-time and continuous basis. Trxade is hoping that the majority of America’s 24,000 independent pharmacies, who which together have a combined annual purchasing power of over $92 billion, will eventually see how Trxade’s supportive platform that can make their businesses more profitable.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.TrxadeGroup.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MEDS are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/MEDS